Amanda Devlin

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has warned of “painful and barbaric” deaths if the Assisted Dying Bill is given the go-ahead.

During a passionate speech in the House of Commons today, Ms Dorries argued against supporters who say the changed in law will give people a “good death”.

She said: “The beauty of palliative care today is that no-one needs to die a painful death.

“We have a combination of drugs, which are administered to people in their final days, which ensure they do not suffer from pain.

“However, the poison that is administered when somebody makes that choice to take their life is not pleasant.

“They don’t swallow this concoction of drugs and fall asleep - it is not a nice end and it is certainly not peaceful.

“It is a painful and barbaric death.”

Today MPs are debating whether to enable “competent adults” who are terminally ill to be given assistance to end their own life if requested.

Critics worry that vulnerable elderly people could be pressured into the decision to die prematurely, while supporters of the bill argue the current law on assisted dying forces terminally ill patients to end their lives abroad.

Ms Dorries says she will be “amazed” if the Bill gets through today.

Proposals say terminally ill patients believed to have no more than six months to live would be allowed a lethal dose of drugs to end their life if approved by two doctors.

The High Court would have to be satisfied that the patient had demonstrated a “voluntary, clear, settled and informed wish” to end their life, was of sound mind and over 18.